Tests raise hopes for radical new therapy for phobias and PTSD

Researchers able to reduce anxieties without asking people to think about them consciously, making it more appealing than current therapies

Scientists have raised hopes for a radical new therapy for phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with a procedure that can dampen down fears linked to painful memories.

The advance holds particular promise for patients because in early tests, researchers found they could reduce anxieties triggered by specific memories without asking people to think about them consciously.